Ted Schwerzler

The Twins continued to use the final few Triple-A games as a rehab spot, and the Saints launched their 14th grand slam of the season. Although there was only one game on the farm Friday, there was plenty of action. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson - St. Paul Saints TRANSACTIONS OF Jordan Luplow recalled from St. Paul SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 10, Toledo 6 Box Score Lefty Blayne Enlow took the mound Friday night for the Saints last weeknight game of the year. Byron Buxton and Joey Gallo got the night off while Nick Gordon batted second and played second base. Enlow’s final start of the season was just a short three inning outing. He allowed three runs on two hits while striking out four. The lefty out a bow on his season, showing good command with no walks. St. Paul answered the three-run shot in the second inning with a big crooked number. Anthony Prato homered for the ninth time this season, and the two-run blast brought home Hernan Perez. Austin Martin then plated DaShawn Keirsey Jr. on a sacrifice fly. Michael Helman then stepped in with the bases loaded and launched the Saints 14th grand slam of the season. Chris Williams, Tony Wolters, and Nick Gordon all came home making it a 7-3 contest. In the bottom of the third inning, Prato hit his second dinger of the night, and the solo-shot made it an 8-0 game. Not to have his power outdone, Yunior Severino homered in the fourth inning. His 11th big fly at Triple-A pushed the score to 10-3. Brock Stewart worked a scoreless inning of relief striking out two, while Jorge Alcala pitched two scoreless innings and struck out four. Austin Schulfer took over for the next two and was perfect with a pair of strikeouts. Still up 10-3, it was Michael Boyle on to finish out the ninth inning. He allowed a pair of runners and then a big fly to bring them home. Still up 10-6, the lead was enough to hold up. Helman and Prato both had a pair of hits. Gordon was 0-for-3 on the night with a run scored. The 14th grand slam for St. Paul tied the modern era record by a professional team in a season dating back to 2005. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – St. Paul Middle Relief - 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB, 6 K Hitter of the Day – Anthony Prato (St. Paul) - 2-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR(10), BB, K PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #14 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 1-4, R, 2 RBI, HR(11), K SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Toledo @ St. Paul (6:37PM CST) - RHP Patrick Murphy Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’ game! View full article

With the Cedar Rapids Kernels winning the Midwest League Championship Wednesday night, the St. Paul Saints were the lone affiliate in action on Thursday. Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton was back in action as the designated hitter. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints TRANSACTIONS OF Byron Buxton begins MLB rehab assignment with St. Paul SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 4, Toledo 2 Box Score Playing with a full complement of Twins rehabbing talent again on Thursday night, the Saints had Byron Buxton batting second as the designated hitter while Joey Gallo batted third and was in left field. Nick Gordon had a scheduled day off. The pitchers, Chris Paddack, Brock Stewart, and Jorge Alcala were all available out of the bullpen. Making his final start of the season, now as the Saints single-season strikeouts record holder, was Randy Dobnak. Chris Williams, fresh off his franchise-record 21st home run, was out of the lineup on Thursday night. It was St. Jude night at the ballpark, and there’s still an opportunity to join Randy and Aerial Dobnak for the walk/run on Saturday. Kicking off the scoring, Toledo grabbed a first inning run off of Dobnak and the action was underway. Former Twins prospect Bryan Sammons started for the Mud Hens. While he recorded eight strikeouts in six scoreless innings, Dobnak nearly matched him. The Saints starter worked six innings allowing just one run on three hits and four walks. Dobnak struck out seven to finish his season with 115. Andrew Bechtold came on for his 20th appearance on the mound this season. While he’s been wild all year for St. Paul, pumping triple-digits continues to be fun to dream on. After striking out the first batter he saw, Bechtold walked the next, gave up a single, and then walked another to load the bases. A sacrifice fly then made it a 2-0 lead for Toledo. Bechtold got out of the inning before more damage was done. Continuing the trend of former Twins prospects, Andrew Vasquez came on in relief of Sammons for Toledo in the seventh inning. After a Brooks Lee single, Kyle Garlick rolled a ground ball to the hot corner. Rather than the third baseman starting an easy double play, he threw the ball at Lee sliding into second, and it went sailing into right field. Lee came around to score with Garlick finishing the play on third base as the tying run. After hitting Jair Camargo, Vasquez uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Garlick to score and tie the game. Hernan Perez ripped a single back through the middle, just out of the shortstop’s reach, and brought Camargo in from second base. For the first time on the evening, St. Paul had a lead. After a Michael Helman single put runners on first and second, Byron Buxton stepped in for the fourth time with a pair of strikeouts to his credit. Buxton swung at a first pitch slider, from newly inserted righty Garrett Hill, and rolled it back up the middle to score another run. Joey Gallo walked to load the bases, but the Saints couldn’t push another one across and it was 4-2 headed to the eighth inning. Buxton was lifted for pinch runner Chris Williams, and his night of rehab work was done. Going 1-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts and the single, Buxton will look to get more action in before St. Paul ends their season on Sunday afternoon. Curtis Taylor worked a scoreless inning for St. Paul to open the eighth inning, and the Saints didn't add on in their final frame. Ronny Henriquez came on to close it out in the ninth inning. He got a strikeout before issuing a walk, and then struck out another Mud Hens hitter to leave just one final out. Henriquez put the tying run on with a second free pass, and the go ahead run stepped in. Colt Keith flew out and this one was over. St. Paul moved to 20 games over .500 with their 83rd win. Helman and Perez were the only two Saints to grab a pair of hits. Just three games remain at CHS Field for the year, and there are still great seats available. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Randy Dobnak (St. Paul) - 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K Hitter of the Day – Hernan Perez (St. Paul) - 2-for-3, R, RBI, 2B, K PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Brooks Lee (St. Paul) - 1-4, R, K #14 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 1-4, 3 K FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Toledo @ St. Paul (6:37PM CST) - LHP Blayne Enlow Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s game! View full article

The Minnesota Twins are going to play postseason baseball for the first time since the 2020 season. It will be the first time fans are in attendance since the Bomba Squad existed during 2019. We don’t yet know the opponent, but the Seattle Mariners are among the possibilities. Image courtesy of Brock Beauchamp & Twins Daily In winning the American League Central Division, the Minnesota Twins will host a wild card team on October 3rd and 4th, with a decisive Game 3 on the 5th, if necessary. They get the advantage of home field in each contest, and they’ll have some level of familiarity with whomever they wind up squaring off against. Should the Seattle Mariners come to town, here’s a tail of the tape: Record: 81-67 Against Minnesota: 4-3 (-2 run differential) Road: 40-35 September: 5-10 The Rotation: It should be expected that Mariners manager Scott Servais will put a trio of Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert, and George Kirby on the mound to start a game. Rookie Bryce Miller could also be in contention for a starting spot. Castillo is the known veteran for Seattle, and he has consistently been among the best starters in baseball. Acquired at last year’s deadline for a package that included top prospect Noelvi Marte, the former Cincinnati Reds starter has been every bit as dominant in the American League. Both Gilbert and Kirby are still young, but have seen plenty of major league action to bring quality stuff on a nightly basis. Both are strikeout arms, and it’s Kirby that does especially well limiting walks. The Seattle starters as a whole don’t issue free passes, and each of them are hard to build a consistent threat against. Each is somewhat susceptible to the longball, but none of them should be seen as a cakewalk. The Bullpen: Seattle decided to be sellers at the trade deadline, and the greatest piece they parted with was closer Paul Sewald. Andres Munoz, a hard-throwing righty, has since taken over as the closer. Matt Brash is a former top prospect that has found more success in relief, and his strikeout numbers are certainly noteworthy. Veteran Justin Topa has had a breakout season for the Mariners after coming over from the Brewers this season, and while he doesn’t strike many out, he also limits damage well. The notable lefty in relief is Gabe Speier, and he’s not just a soft-tossing southpaw. Servais can mix and match a bullpen group that has high upside. The Lineup: Obviously the superstar here is youngster Julio Rodriguez. The man known as J-Rod has put up a 30 home run season along with 30 stolen bases and 30 doubles. He’s one of the most talented athletes in baseball, and can do it all both in the batter’s box and in the outfield. Beyond Rodriguez, there are some notable power hitters in the lineup. Cal Raleigh, otherwise known as Big Dumper, is a home run threat behind the plate. He has 28 to his credit this season, and Teoscar Hernandez is just behind him with 25 of his own. Former star prospect Jarred Kelenic has flashed at times this season, and J.P. Crawford has been a consistent bat from the shortstop position. Aside from Rodriguez, the Mariners lineup is not a standout-based collection. They rank in the top 10 across Major League Baseball in terms of fWAR, but they’re middle-of-the-pack when it comes to wOBA and slugging. What to Know: The Mariners have seen virtually everything this year. They have led the division and they have been 10.5 games out. They sold at the deadline for a reason, and they came into the year believing the postseason was within their grasp for one as well. September has not been kind to Seattle, and playing sub-.500 baseball in the final month is certainly not a good look. On one hand, maybe the Twins should be welcoming a team that has struggled to win when it matters most, but on the other, the Mariners have already gotten it done against Minnesota this season. The Mariners will attempt to pitch their way through a series with starters, and they’ll hope that a lineup with capable producers can provide early leads. Avoiding Rodriguez in key spots is a good plan of action, and making others beat you from there is how you’d draw up a game plan. How do you feel about the Twins facing the Mariners in the playoffs? Is there a pitcher you’re worries about, or someone in the lineup (aside from Julio) that Minnesota should look to avoid? View full article

At this point of the regular season, it is worth declaring the Minnesota Twins as American League Central Division winners. Their playoff odds are 100% per Fangraphs, and they will play into October. Who they take with them remains to be seen, however. Image courtesy of © Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports Rocco Baldelli has been without some of his key players down the stretch this year, and yet Minnesota has continued to win. Byron Buxton has been shelved despite attempting to work towards playing centerfield. Brock Stewart has been out since the All-Star Break and other regulars have dealt with their nicks. When the Twins ultimately host a Wild Card opponent for three games at Target Field, the front office and coaching staff will be tasked with bringing 26 players along for the first round. It's not a traditional roster setup, as only three starters will be needed, so how they get creative with the spots remains in the air. Here are three players that should make the cut: A Runner Minnesota elevated Andrew Stevenson to the 26-man roster after spots expanded in September. He has arguably been the St. Paul Saints best player in 2023, and with more than 200 games at the big league level, he was hardly just a feel-good story. Stevenson posted a .916 OPS at Triple-A this season, and he did so with 46 extra-base hits to his credit. His 16 home runs matched a career-best output from last year at Triple-A with Washington, and his bat was an asset. There's enough major league track record to not believe in all of the offense, but he's a great defender and steals bases. With the Saints, Stevenson was successful on 44 of 49 stolen base attempts, and he is a perfect four-for-four with the Twins thus far. Even when opposing pitchers know he'll take off, his instincts are good enough to get the job done. Austin Martin may represent a better offensive or all-around profile, but he's not yet on the 40-man roster, and it doesn't seem that Minnesota would prefer to place him there just for the final few games. Giving Baldelli a security blanket from an outfield defender standpoint while providing someone who can grab an additional 90 feet is a no-brainer for a short series where every game matters. An Extra Starter Baldelli will only need three arms when dealing with his rotation in a short series, and two of those will unquestionably be Sonny Gray and Pablo Lopez. Both Cy Young candidates in their own right, Minnesota's best one-two punch will go during the first two games. From there, it becomes a question of Joe Ryan, Kenta Maeda, and Bailey Ober. Maeda has already pitched in relief, and moving into the bullpen makes the most sense. Joe Ryan then would get the final starting spot. What happens to Ober then becomes the question, but as the Twins have begun to protect his innings, there is only a need to do that if he will be a vital part in October. Sure, Minnesota could opt to pitch Chris Paddack or Dallas Keuchel out of the pen, but if the goal is to build the best 26-man roster, then Ober has to be on it. No matter what Paddack looks like during his rehab assignment, he's still facing minor-league competition, and his first big-league showing in more than a year shouldn't come in the biggest games. Keuchel has had moments for Minnesota, but his stuff probably doesn't play up in relief. Enter Ober, who has been cast aside twice this year and responded well each time. It's not as though Ober should be expected to see a Louie Varland-like uptick out of the bullpen, but having his arm as an option is more comforting than Paddack and more reliable than Jorge Alcala, Cole Sands, Josh Winder, or someone from that rotating group. Much of the Twins' postseason roster projection should be straightforward, but if they want to field a team with the best options for a short series, both of these players should be among the group. View full article

We’re just a couple weeks away from the final game of the 2023 Major League Baseball regular season. As postseason races start to take shape, putting a bow on the year that was is necessary. 2023 represented a return to normal baseball for the first year in a while, and we got plenty of highlight performances to watch along the way. I didn’t write a preseason prediction piece this year, but shared some award thoughts on Twitter. A few of these appear to have aged well, while more have gone completely off the rails. In turning in my IBWAA Award Ballot, here’s what I came up with. American League MVP: Shohei Ohtani (Runner Up: Corey Seager) National League MVP: Ronald Acuna Jr.(Runner Up: Mookie Betts) American League Cy Young: Gerrit Cole (Runner Up: Sonny Gray) National League Cy Young: Blake Snell (Runner Up: Justin Steele) American League Rookie of the Year: Gunnar Henderson (Runner Up: Royce Lewis) National League Rookie of the Year: Corbin Carroll (Runner Up: Matt McLain) American League Manager of the Year: Brandon Hyde (Runner Up: Bruce Bochy) National League Manager of the Year: Brian Snitker (Runner Up: Craig Counsell) American League Reliever of the Year: Felix Bautista (Runner Up: Jordan Romano) National League Reliever of the Year: David Bednar (Runner Up: Josh Hader) For more from Off The Baggy, click here.

The Twins ripped another week off the calendar, and while the division lead is less than it was last time we checked in, the magic number has dropped to six and they are all but on their way to the postseason. Image courtesy of Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports It’s interesting to think how much has changed since the Twins last played playoff baseball. Sure, Minnesota hosted the Houston Astros at Target Field back in 2020 when Josh Donaldson couldn’t go and Alex Kirilloff made his major league debut, but no fans were in attendance. The last true playoff series Minnesotans got to partake in was a 2019 series against the New York Yankees. After dropping the first two games against New York, one of which was the Randy Dobnak start, Minnesota returned home only to fall 5-1 in a game in which Jake Odorizzi took the ball. This team couldn’t have seen more upheaval, and knowing they’ll host a three-game series against a wild card opponent with a better record, we can continue keeping tabs on who that might be. Baltimore Orioles Playoff Odds - 100% Leading the AL East by two games, the Orioles weren’t featured in this space last week. They clinched on Sunday during a win against the Rays, and they currently hold a two game lead over their closest competition in the division. It’s highly unlikely, if not impossible, for Minnesota to face the Orioles, but the rebuilt franchise has oodles of young talent. Heston Kjerstad was promoted this week, while Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson have been producing all year. Before taking a weekend series against the Rays, they dropped two of three at home to the Cardinals. As much as Royce Lewis would be a fun Rookie of the Year, Henderson all but has that wrapped up and will look to make his mark in the postseason. Tampa Bay Rays Playoff Odds - 100% Last time we checked in with Tampa Bay they already had guaranteed playoff odds, but they had yet to clinch. As of Sunday, in a game they lost against Baltimore, the Rays found themselves clinching a berth in the postseason. This week Tampa grabbed two of three on the road against Minnesota while dropping two of three at Camden Yards. Kevin Cash’s team is in contention to win the AL East, but they currently trail by two games to the team that just got them over the weekend. Houston Astros Playoff Odds - 96.5% If there’s a team from the west that has felt like they would be there, it continues to be the Astros. As the reigning World Series champions, there’s not enough that can be said about familiarity. If there was a theme for the week though, it was Dusty Baker’s team leaving the door wide open. Facing the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals, Houston went just 1-2 against each. With an opportunity to put some serious breathing room between them and the competition, they did as little as they could. Toronto Blue Jays Playoff Odds - 79.0% A slight decrease from a week ago, it was a tough week for the Blue Jays. While they are coming off a sweep against the Boston Red Sox over the weekend, they started the week off by losing four in a row to the Texas Rangers. The AL East’s third team was crushed at home by Texas, and gave up 10 runs in two of the four contests while allowing nine in a third. The lead in the wild card over Bruce Bochy’s team is down to just a half-game, and Toronto has to be feeling the heat. Texas Rangers Playoff Odds - 71.5% Trading places with the Mariners from last week, Texas jumped their playoff odds by over 15%. Sweeping the Blue Jays in Canada was huge, but dropping three to a mediocre Guardians team soured their opportunity to run away with things. The Rangers gave up 21 runs in two of the three games against a Cleveland team with an awful offense, and the pitching left plenty to be desired. Max Scherzer isn’t coming back during the regular season, and he’s probably unlikely to pitch in the postseason as well. Texas will need the hot hitting of Corey Seager and Mitch Garver to continue if they want to make any noise at all. Seattle Mariners Playoff Odds - 52.6% Dropping roughly ten-percent from last week, Julio Rodriguez and his hot streak still couldn’t keep the Mariners afloat. This week saw George Kirby make a fool of himself, and despite winning two-of-three against the Angels without Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, they finished their week having been swept at home by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Seattle finds themselves 2.5 games back in the division, and a full game behind in the wild card. How has the last week changed about how you view a potential Twins wild card opponent? Is there someone you’re willing to welcome into Target Field? View full article

That's a fair take, but there's not a great track record of health coming out of Rice. I'm still excited about him as a reliever.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels started the Midwest League Championship Series in style, while the St. Paul Saints dominated on the mound. Wichita was up against long odds and was looking for a way to extend their season. Check out the action within. Image courtesy of Steve Buhr, Twins Daily SAINTS SENTINEL Iowa 1, St. Paul 0 Box Score Having been eliminated from postseason contention on Saturday night, the Saints took the field for their final road game on Sunday. David Festa was on the mound, and rehabbing Twins utility man Nick Gordon was in left field. A shorter outing, Festa went 2 2/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits and a pair of walks. He struck out two. Iowa scored the game's first run in the second inning, but Festa escaped with the bases loaded before letting the inning become problematic. Shortening Festa's workload with the year ending, Brent Headrick took over in the third inning. He worked 3 1/3 innings of perfect baseball while striking out four. The Saints couldn't find a run in the ninth inning either, and they dropped Sunday's action, going scoreless on six hits. Brooks Lee was the only St. Paul batter to record a pair. They'll return home for a final series against Toledo. WIND SURGE WISDOM Midland 6, Wichita 4 Box Score Needing a victory and then a loss from Springfield to make the playoffs, Wichita turned to Jordan Carr for their final regular season game on Sunday. Carr went three innings while allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits and a walk. He struck out one. After a scoreless first frame, Midland grabbed the first lead with a three-run homer in the top of the second inning. Midland added again in the third inning with an RBI single, and the Wind Surge were staring at a 4-0 deficit. The RockHounds added another pair of runs in the seventh inning, and things looked bleak for Wichita. Facing a six-run deficit with just three outs left, the Wind Surge needed a miracle. Alex Isola doubled home Will Holland before Jake Rucker traded places with him. Tanner Schobel stepped in with the bases loaded and just one out and singled home Patrick Wikel. With one out and down 6-3, Ben Ross had the opportunity to walk it off on a home run. The ball didn't leave the yard, but he continued the singles parade and brought home Rucker, leaving the bases still packed. Willie Joe Garry Jr. initially looked like he brought Aaron Sabato home on a fielder's choice, but Midland made the out. Holland flew out to left, and the comeback came just short. Schobel, Rucker, and Isola all grabbed a pair of hits in what ends up being Wichita's final game of the year. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 10, Great Lakes 6 Box Score Kicking off the Midwest League Championship Series, the Kernels turned to Christian MacLeod on Sunday. It was a rough outing as he was lifted after getting four outs and giving up four runs. MacLeod gave up three hits and three walks while striking out three. Zebby Matthews then came on in relief. After getting behind 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning, Cedar Rapids answered and took their first lead in the second inning. With the bases loaded, Noah Cardenas walked and allowed Andrew Cossetti to cross the plate. Jose Salas then grounded into a double play, but Jorel Ortega scored in the process. Carson McCusker then brought Luke Keaschall home from third base and it was a 3-1 game. A Dalton Rushing home run in the bottom of the second inning sent MacLeod to the showers and put the Loons back up 4-3. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Rushing went deep for the second time Sunday and put the Loons up 6-3. Emmanuel Rodriguez answered for the Kernels in the top of the fifth inning, launching a solo shot to bring them back within two. The Loons threatened to add again in the fifth inning with runners on the corners and two outs. Matthews worked a necessary strikeout to get out of the inning, though. Jose Salas got into the box score when he launched a dinger and brought Cedar Rapids within one during the seventh inning. Looking for a tying run in the ninth inning, the Kernels were down to their final three outs. After Keaschall flew out to start the inning, Cardenas drew a walk. Jefferson Morales came on as a pinch hitter, then jogged to second base after Salas filled first following a hit by pitch. McCusker stepped in and launched a three-run blast to center, putting the Kernels on top. Their first lead since the second inning couldn't have come at a better time. Not done with the inning yet, Rodriguez stepped in following a Noah Miller single and launched his second home run. The two-run shot made it a 10-6 ballgame, giving the Kernels some well-deserved breathing room. Malik Barrington finished his 1 2/3 innings of relief scoreless, and Gabriel Yanez came on to get the final out. Rodriguez and McCusker recorded a pair of hits on Sunday, with their home runs being the difference. Cedar Rapids returns home with a chance to win the title on Tuesday night. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Brent Headrick (St. Paul) - 3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K Hitter of the Day – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 2-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR, 2 K PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Brooks Lee (St. Paul) - 2-4 #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 2-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR, 2 K #6 - David Festa (St. Paul) - 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K #8 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 2-4, RBI #10 - Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) - 0-3, R, BB, K #13 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 0-3, 2 BB, 2 K #14 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 1-4, 3 K #20 - Brent Headrick (St. Paul) - 3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Toledo @ St. Paul (6:37PM CST) - TBD Great Lakes @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - RHP Andrew Morris Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Sunday’s games! View full article

Cavaco is a massive miss, as was Canterino. That said, they got a TON of depth and guys that have turned into something from that class. Varland and Julien late, Isola in the 29th round. They did good there, yes.

When the Minnesota Twins embarked upon the 2023 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, they found themselves in an enviable position. The first draft lottery pushed them up the board. Picking fifth overall instead of 13th, the organization was bound to get a stud in a loaded crop of prospects. It’s gone even better than imagined. Image courtesy of William Parmeter While Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews were the talk of the top pick, Wyatt Langford, Max Clark, and Walker Jenkins were all considered worthwhile top picks in many years. Minnesota stayed true to their board in grabbing Jenkins, and if early returns are anything to dream of, he's not the only one to be excited about. Jenkins has been everything expected and then some. Playing at both the rookie ball and Single-A levels, he looked like the game was too easy. Across 26 games, Jenkins slashed .362/.417/.571 with five doubles, four triples, and three home runs. He commanded the zone as a player well above his age, posting a 14/9 K/BB. If Jenkins was expected to be this good, he has brought many of his draft mates. Second-round pick Luke Keaschall, taken out of Arizona State, has graduated to High-A Cedar Rapids. Playing for a championship in his first season, Keaschall has also been an integral part at each stop. In 31 regular season games, he slashed .288/.414/.478 with 10 doubles, a triple, and three homers. He consistently puts the ball in play and made quick work of Low-A Fort Myers. The third-round pick, Brandon Winokur, was deemed a raw, five-tool talent. His .884 OPS across 17 games in rookie ball was highlighted by five doubles and four home runs. He didn't jump up as quickly as Jenkins, but there should be expected to be more of a developmental curve here. Winokur is a mature young man who presented well in his limited professional action. The Twins took a bunch of pitchers. Most weren't forced into significant playing time out of the gate. While a handful appeared in Complex or Florida State League action, it's far too soon to evaluate them. Former Penn State infielder Jay Harry also looked the part early. In 30 games, Harry slashed .339/.434/.468. He's not much of a power guy at this point, but nine doubles showed an ability to find gaps. Neither of the Twins' last two picks, both high school position players, signed, but neither Sam Parker nor Ashton Larson were taken as anything more than a fallback option. Minnesota went heavy on pitching in this draft, so how the arms, especially youngster Charlee Soto, develop remains to be seen. The organization couldn't be happier for the few hitters they did take. It's worth wondering if Jenkins starts at High-A in 2024, and that would make a meteoric rise similar to Orioles' Jackson Holliday plausible. If Jenkins gets to Triple-A or even masters Double-A next season, it would be hard to see him as anything but a big-league option in 2025. Both Keaschall and Harry might have been safer picks from the standpoint of their veteran status coming out of college, but to see each acclimate so quickly is nice to have when looking for future depth options. Being able to play at advanced levels so quickly should do wonders for their confidence and future development. If the Twins hit on this draft class from a pitching standpoint, anything like they have with the bats, it could go down as one of the best in the Derek Falvey era. View full article

While the St. Paul Saints coughed up an early lead, both the Wind Surge and Kernels found themselves victorious. For Cedar Rapids, that means they'll head to the Midwest League Championship series. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Yoyner Fajardo) TRANSACTIONS LHP Brent Headrick optioned to St. Paul RHP Bailey Ober recalled by Minnesota UTIL Nick Gordon begins a rehab assignment with St. Paul RHP Brock Stewart begins a rehab assignment with St. Paul SAINTS SENTINEL Iowa 7, St. Paul 6 Box Score Former Twins pitcher Stephen Gonsalves was on the bump Friday night for Iowa against St. Paul. The Saints gave the ball to Blayne Enlow looking to bounce back from the defeat on Thursday. Enlow worked an abbreviated three inning outing allowing two runs on five hits. He didn’t surrender a walk and struck out one. After Matt Mervis drove in the game's first run for Iowa, the Saints responded as Kyle Garlick doubled home Trevor Larnach in the top of the second inning. St. Paul then loaded the bases against Gonsalves, still with no outs, and added a second run with Anthony Prato taking a walk to drive in Garlick. Austin Martin also drew a walk to drive in DaShawn Keirsey Jr. making it a 3-1 game headed to the bottom of the second. With Iowa grabbing a run back in the third inning, St. Paul looked to find some extra breathing room again. Entering in the fourth inning, Twins reliever Brock Stewart made his first game appearance since June 25. Picking up where he left off, he struck out two of the three hitters he saw. Ronny Henriquez came on and worked a scoreless fifth inning of relief, but going back out for the sixth inning proved to be a disaster. He allowed five runs and recorded just two outs before Jordan Balazovic came on to take over. Continuing to run out former Twins prospects, the Cubs sent Nick Burdi to the mound in the eighth inning, and the 2014 second round pick worked a scoreless frame against his former organization. Closing out the game for Iowa was former Minnesota reliever Tyler Duffey . St. Paul tried to put together a rally in the ninth inning with Michael Helman grabbing a one-out single before Martin walked for the third time in the game. He got Lee to strike out on a ball in the dirt and it was on Trevor Larnach to extend the game. He blasted a pitch on the outside edge over the wall to bring St. Paul back within one. Garlick went down swinging to end the game. Nick Gordon was 0-for-3 in his appearances at the dish Friday night. With just seven hits to their credit, only Gilberto Celestino and Larnach recorded two on Friday night. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 7, Midland 0 Box Score Marco Raya was on the bump Friday night for the Wind Surge. He worked four innings of scoreless baseball allowing just a single hit and walk. Raya struck out four, and has now allowed just two earned runs over his past 17 innings pitched. It took a few innings for a run to come across the board, but Yoyner Fajardo plated a pair when he blasted his ninth home run, scoring Will Holland, in the third inning. A couple innings later, Jake Rucker took a ball over the fence for his ninth home run, and the solo shot made it a 3-0 game. Getting in the box score again, Fajardo tripled for the eighth time and drove in Alerick Soularie making it a 4-0 lead by the end of the fifth inning. Patrick Winkel joined the home run pair by blasting his tenth, a solo home run, in the sixth inning to make it a 5-0 game. The Wind Surge kept adding in the seventh inning, and it was again Fajardo at the center of it. His single drove in Holland before Winkel used a sacrifice fly to make it 7-0. Rehabbing Twins reliever Jorge Alcala worked 1 1/3 innings and struck out four batters. He did allow a hit and a walk. Taylor Floyd closed out the game with 1 2/3 innings of work. Fajardo was the highlight reel Friday with three hits. Both Winkel and Holland had two of their own. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 9, Peoria 3 Box Score Looking to win two in a row and utilize the home field advantage, Cedar Rapids sent C.J. Culpepper to the mound on Friday night. He was nearly flawless going five innings and allowing just a single earned run on four hits and a walk. Culpepper also struck out eight. The Kernels jumped out to an early lead, scoring four runs in the first inning. Andrew Cossetti singled home Emmanuel Rodriguez before Jorel Ortega drove in Kala’i Rosario with a single of his own. Luke Keaschall then singled in Cossetti and Jose Salas brought Ortega home on a ground out. Chasing the four-spot, Peoria did grab a run of their own in the top of the second inning. The Kernels answered that in the fifth inning when Noah Cardenas singled home Ortega and put the good guys back up by a grand slam. The two sides stretched and then the Kernels flexed their muscle again. In the bottom of the the seventh inning Cardenas singled home Cossetti before Jose Salas tripled in Keaschall and Cardenas to make it an 8-1 game. With time running out, the Kernels were inching their way towards a Midwest League Western Division championship. Piling on for good measure, Keaschall drove in Rodriguez before Peoria stepped in for their final at-bats, trailing 9-1. Kyle Jones remained on the mound and closed the game out working two innings, allowing just a pair of meaningless ninth inning runs. Both Keaschall and Cardenas grabbed three hits while Ortega had a pair of his own. Cedar Rapids will take on the Dodgers affiliate, the Great Lakes Loons, in the Midwest League Championship series. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – C.J. Culpepper (Cedar Rapids) - 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K Hitter of the Day – Yoyner Fajardo (Wichita) - 3-5, R, 4 RBI, 3B, HR(9) PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Brooks Lee (St. Paul) - 0-4, 2 K #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 0-3, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K #4 - Marco Raya (Wichita) - 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB 4 K #7 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 0-2, RBI, 3 BB, 2 K #8 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 1-4, K #10 - Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) - 3-5, R, 2 RBI, K #13 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, R, BB, 2 K #16 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 K SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Iowa (6:08PM CST) - RHP Patrick Murphy Midland @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - RHP Jaylen Nowlin Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games! View full article

The Minnesota Twins front office has not been shy about upgrading the 26-man roster. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have been aggressive in their pursuit of free agents, and they have made several sizable swaps in recent seasons. Now nearly a full season into the deal that brought Pablo Lopez to Minnesota, do the Twins miss Luis Arraez? Image courtesy of Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports When the Minnesota Twins decided to send Luis Arraez to the Miami Marlins it was not because they thought that Rocco Baldelli’s lineup couldn’t use him. The Twins second baseman was a fan-favorite, and he was coming off winning an American League batting title. Despite looking like the second coming of Rod Carew, questions about defense and health tipped the scales just enough for the front office to dangle him out there. A deal between the Marlins and Twins came together over quite some time, and the sides talked about different constructions of a fit for a while. With the Twins offense seemingly in a good place, the front office decided that Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan, and Kenta Maeda needed some help in the starting rotation. Pablo Lopez was viewed as a talent that had projectable upside, and the organization doubled-down by signing him to a four-year extension that kicks in during the 2024 season. So far it’s hard to say that the sides didn’t get exactly what they were looking for. Miami is watching Arraez trend towards another batting title while having been named an All-Star for the second consecutive season, and the Twins are seeing Lopez pitch like something of a Cy Young candidate. Rather than view the deal just through the lens of a Minnesota trade though, I wanted to get a Marlins perspective. Ely Sussman of Fish on First covers Miami closely, and had plenty of thoughts to share about the new Marlins infielder. Twins Daily: Having watched Arraez for a full season, what are your thoughts on him as a player and how do they compare to what you believed you were getting? Ely Sussman: I was optimistic about Arraez continuing to be more or less the same player he had been with the Twins, and he has instead elevated his game a notch. I was concerned about his durability given his history of knee issues, but he's been available for the Marlins practically every day. Although his defensive metrics at second base have been a mixed bag, I have observed something close to league-average performance from him there. Arraez has shown good hands and a knack for making accurate, off-balance throws when necessary. Last but not least, he is very well-liked by his Marlins teammates and proactive about sharing advice with them. He has helped change the clubhouse chemistry for the better, which was sorely needed after losing 93 games the season before. TD: Moving Jazz Chisholm to centerfield was part of the Arraez acquisition. How has the Marlins defense benefitted or been hurt by the new construction? ES: Outside of a few April bloopers, Chisholm's transition to center field has been a success. He's been enough of an upgrade over Miami's 2022 centerfield options to mostly offset the drop-off in defense from Chisholm to Arraez at second base. However, the addition of Arraez also stranded free agent signing Jean Segura at third base, where he had limited experience. That went horribly and may have contributed to his struggles at the plate. Segura was among the worst everyday players in the majors before the Marlins dumped him at the trade deadline. Overall, the Marlins have been in the middle of the pack defensively, which is slightly worse than 2022, but that step back is due to other personnel changes rather than Arraez. TD: Arraez brought a few years of team control with him to Miami whereas the Twins immediately extended Pablo Lopez. Do you see a longer term deal getting done with the Marlins? ES: When Arraez was hitting .400-something throughout much of the first half, there was concern that he had played himself out of the Marlins' price range! The silver lining of his second-half regression is he now seems more realistically extendable for them. It is tricky to find relevant comps for Arraez given his old-school batted ball profile, but I estimate that the average annual value of an extension would be less than Pablo's $18.4 million. Perhaps a DJ LeMahieu-like deal (6/$90M) would get it done. There is a good chance of Arraez being signed long term, especially if Jorge Soler departs via free agency and vacates the designated hitter spot. TD: Year one has included a second straight All-Star appearance and Arraez is trending toward another batting title. Has the production been better than expected? ES: His production has exceeded expectations, yes. Even with MLB's restriction of the infield shift, it's astounding to see somebody hitting in the mid-.300s and consistently coming through in late-game situations, too. There are still things to nitpick about Arraez like his occasional over-aggressiveness, his inability to steal bases, and the frequency with which he grounds into double plays. But he is very valuable just as he is. TD: Missing Lopez in the rotation, has the presence of a missing starter been felt? Has Arraez's production in the lineup made that worth it? ES: López has been sorely missed. Sandy Alcantara's fall from Cy Young winner to ordinary innings eater has been well-documented. Also, the Marlins entered the season with both Johnny Cueto and Trevor Rogers in their starting rotation. Not only did they both suffer injuries in April, but then suffered additional, unrelated injuries while pitching in minor league rehab games. Cueto didn't return until the All-Star break and Rogers still hasn't made it back. The Marlins were relatively thin on upper-minors rotation depth and that was exposed by those unlucky breaks. I would still say that Arraez has made up for the absence of López. Miami's bullpen has thrived in clutch situations to cover up for some of the rotation's limitations. TD: Simply, would you do the deal again, why or why not? ES: It's a fascinating "what if" because it depends on whether I am tethered to Bruce Sherman's modest budget. The main reason that the Marlins shopped López is because of how his future salary would impact their flexibility to address other roster needs, rooted in ownership's lack of willingness to spend. This club understandably prioritizes veteran hitters over veteran pitchers because they've had much more success developing cheap pitching internally. An aspect of the trade that I strongly disliked was the inclusion of prospects Jose Salas and Byron Chourio. Salas was one of the few Marlins hitting prospects who had a path toward becoming a big league regular, but it turns out that his 2023 campaign was a nightmare, making that ceiling seem less attainable. If I'm stuck living in a universe where the Marlins operate with a small-market mentality, I would do the deal again. If I have the freedom to imagine the Marlins spending as much as the Twins do on payroll, then I would have kept and extended López and upgraded the lineup by shopping younger arms instead. It’s interesting to see what the other side thinks, because even with Lopez’s performance, there are plenty of Twins fans that still miss Arraez. Even with the emergence of Edouard Julien, the Twins lack a true average hitter and Arraez had the ability to set the table on a nightly basis. What is your takeaway from this deal? Would you still make the trade? How have you felt about Pablo in year one? View full article

Randy Dobnak set a single-season record for the St. Paul Saints in a loss Thursday afternoon, while Cedar Rapids had runs in more than one way during the evening matchups. Check out all of the action on the farm. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints SAINTS SENTINEL Iowa 9, St. Paul 2 Box Score The Saints played a matinee on Thursday, with Randy Dobnak taking the mound. He worked 5 2/3 innings but allowed six runs on nine hits. Dobnak walked just two while striking out four but did allow a home run. The additional strikeouts helped to set the Saints single-season strikeout record. His 107 strikeouts took the lead from teammate Ronny Henriquez. With St. Paul and Iowa battling for playoff position, Matt Mervis started things off with his 20th home run of the year. The two-run shot gave Iowa a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Jair Camargo answered with a home run of his own, a solo shot, to make it 2-1 in the second inning. Unfortunately, the Cubs kept adding, and by the seventh inning, they held a 6-1 lead. Brooks Lee looked to keep the Saints close with a double that plated Michael Helman and brought them within a grand slam. However, a tough seventh inning saw three runs score, and Iowa was up by a comfortable 9-2 margin. Chris Williams stepped in with the bases loaded and just one out in the eighth. Unable to get the big hit, he put up a sacrifice fly that brought Camargo home and made it a six-run game. Carlos Luna finished the game on the mound, working 1 1/3 innings after his recent transfer from Double-A. Lee led off the ninth inning with his second double of the day, but an Austin Martin groundout and Yunior Severino strikeout didn't bring him in. Kyle Garlick went down looking at that's how this one ended. Camargo had three hits Thursday afternoon, with Lee adding his two doubles. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 5, Midland 4 Box Score Travis Adams took the pill Thursday night for Wichita and worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. He was cruising until a four-run fifth inning did him in. Adams didn't walk anyone and struck out five on the evening. The good guys got on the board when David Banuelos homered for the 10th time. His solo shot made it a 1-0 game in the second inning. In the third inning, Alerick Soularie did his best impression of Banuelos, launching his own solo home run. Midland got a run back in the fifth inning to halve the lead and keep Wichita on their toes. Adams faced serious damage during the inning, with runners on first and second still having no outs. Instead of getting a double play ball, William Simoneit launched a three-run blast to take the lead 4-2. Working for the comeback, Jake Rucker singled home both Dalton Shuffield and Banuelos in the sixth inning to tie things up before Will Holland drove in Ben Ross for the lead. Ahead 5-4, Wichita needed the pitching to hold it down. Curtis Taylor did just that throwing 2 2/3 inning of scoreless relief before Francis Peguero grabbed the last out, with the Wind Surge emerged victorious. Both Soularie and Rucker recorded a pair of hits on the evening. Rucker also added a pair of RBI for himself. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 9, Peoria 4 Box Score Needing a win to extend their season, the Kernels sent Cory Lewis to the mound. He turned in a strong performance going four innings, allowing just a single run. He scattered four hits and didn't allow a run while striking out four. While Cedar Rapids was already up against a 1-0 deficit in the series, their bodies were also up against it. Despite playing against some internal adversity, the Kernels showed up in a big way. After giving up a run in the third inning, Cedar Rapids answered with four of their own during the fourth inning. Scoring all four runs before recording an out was a strong response. Jose Salas scored Luke Keaschal to tie the game, and then Jeferson Morales went ya-ya, scoring Noah Cardenas and Salas in the process. Still without Peoria recording an out, Noah Miller launched a two-run shot, scoring Carson McCusker and making it a 6-1 game. Malik Barrington took over for Lewis and ran into trouble during the sixth inning. He gave up a run and had two runners on before recording the third out of the inning. Jorel Ortega put himself on the board with a seventh-inning solo blast, and the home run made it a 7-2 game for Cedar Rapids. McCusker added some additional insurance with a double that scored both Cardenas and Morales. Both Miller and McCusker had two hits on the night with both adding a pair of RBI. Morales drove in three runs on his own as well. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Cory Lewis (Cedar Rapids) - 4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K Hitter of the Day – Jair Camargo (St. Paul) - 3-4, 2 R, RBI, HR(19), K PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Brooks Lee (St. Paul) - 2-5, RBI #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, 2 K #7 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 1-2, 3 BB #8 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 1-4, K #10 - Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, R ,K #13 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, BB, 3 K #14 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 0-5, 4 K #19 - Cory Lewis (Cedar Rapids) - 4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Iowa (7:08PM CST) - LHP Blayne Enlow Midland @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - RHP Marco Raya Peoria @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 CST) - RHP C.J. Culpepper Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! View full article

The Minnesota Twins are still counting down their magic number, but at this point they are all but guaranteed to win the AL Central and make the postseason. Much of the success down the stretch has come through the production of young players. Can they really trust this much youth in the playoffs? Image courtesy of © David Richard-USA TODAY Sports When the season began, Rocco Baldelli had a team that veterans propped up. Carlos Correa was back as the big offseason signing, and Joey Gallo added a track record in the majors. Christian Vazquez would do most of the catching, and holdovers like Byron Buxton, Jorge Polanco, and Max Kepler would lead the team. As the offense struggled to get going, and the pitching did its best to win nightly, much of the lineup turnaround has been on the backs of younger players. Edouard Julien, Royce Lewis, and Matt Wallner are all playing in their rookie seasons. Their production has helped bring the Minnesota offense alive after the All-Star Break. Lewis has arguably been the most impactful of the trio, and he has thrived in big moments, time and time again. What he is doing isn’t normal, and despite the significant time missed over the past three seasons, he has stepped in and immediately become one of the Twins most productive players. In just 49 games, he has an OPS near .900, and he’s driven in runs every time Minnesota has needed it most. It took a while for Wallner to get his opportunity, mainly because of how well Kepler turned it on, but he has also settled in. Although he owns just a .218 average across 59 games this season, his .812 OPS reflects a power approach that brings some walks to the profile. He has played a strong corner outfield, and opposing teams have given up running on him. This trio producing in a race for a division title is one thing, but how can they be expected to compete when the stage is at its peak? It’s win or go home during the postseason, and there won’t be much time to make adjustments. Preparation is imperative, as Baldelli will be placing significant responsibility on young players. Although Lewis hasn’t slowed down at this point, we have seen Julien and Wallner go through some valleys. The infielder still has a .800 OPS across 48 games since the All-Star Break, but he has hit just four of his 11 home runs in that span. Julien does have a significant strikeout ability to his game, and while he walks, being too selective in critical situations could cost him. After coming up from Triple-A so strong and owning a .955 OPS through his first 49 games, Wallner has struggled as the opposition adjusts. In his last 28 games, he owns just a .671 OPS and has just 14 hits in his previous 100 plate appearances. When Minnesota invites an opponent to Target Field in October, they will be facing the best pitchers that the team has on every single night. The opposition will come prepared to attack the Twins young hitters. It will be on the youth movement to ensure they are equally ready and that the moment isn’t too big for them. Rocco Baldelli has a lineup that currently finds itself in a good place. That’s a positive reality. However, he’ll need to ensure that the youth is equally prepared to handle the most important games of their life, and if he can do that, a run further into October could be one to smile about. View full article